Finishing panel mount



Nov. 11, 1941. R. w. HALL 2,262,426

FINISHING PANEL MOUNT Filed Jan. 30', 1940 Cu 1111111 n I U 11 m1,

Z4 za 25 27 INVENTOR [Ya/ l: M152 2 A1TOZIZ5Z Patented Nov. 11, 1941Ralph w. Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Randall Company,Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio Application January 30, 1940,Serial No. 316,388

This invention relates to mountings for finish like. Such panels usuallyand preferably are of the detachable or removable type, to afford accessto mechanismsnormally concealed by the panels, and it is this type ofpanel with which the present invention is" concerned. While at thepresent tim the greatest 'need for detachable panels seems to be withinthe vehicle body field, it should be understood that the invention is byno means intended for limitation to that field; and the reader hereofwill doubtless appreciate that the detachable panel Inount disclosedherein may be applied to many different varieties of supports other thanvehicle doors, although the vehicle door will be used herein as anexemplary sfubjectlmerely for purposes of exf planation and clarity ofdisclosure. e 2

One object of the invention is to facilitate the application of adetachable panel to a support,

while at the same time increasing its durability and effectiveness as ament.

covering or finishing ele- Another object of the invention is to providepanel mounting means of a simple nature, which includes means wherebypacking andshipping of parts are facilitated, resulting in a saving of 1time, space and shipping expense.

Another object is tolprovide improved means for the mounting of a panelupon a? support. which is positive and secure in its action but.

nevertheless easy to manipulate for removal of the panel, withoutdistortion ofparts, so that reapplication of thepanel isaccomplishedwithout difficulty or waste of time.

A further object of the invention is to pro-a ing panels of the kindgenerallyfused upon the doors or interior parts of automobiles or thevide a. novel panel mounting means which, by

reason of its; positive locking nature, is applicable to structures thatinclude curved supports or surfaces to be paneled; such as the curved orconcave, interior surfaces of certain types of vehicle doors. a l

The foregoing and otherqobjects are attained by the means describedherein and disclosed in i the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmental cross-sectional View 0 l the. left side ofavehicle door, taken one horizontal line passing through the door whereit is paneled, and showing a panel about to be snapped into positionupon the door.; a

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig.11, showing the right side of a doorwithits panel applied.

1 vehicle door, showing the parts of Fig. 1 in perspective, the panelbeing omitted.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental cross-section of the panel, in perspective, and.shown in position to be swung upwardly against the vehicle door of Fig.3, forapplication of the panel thereto.

I Fig; 5 is a fragmental plan view of that area of the vehicle doorwhich supports th latching element or clip.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a panel binder strip which constitutesan element of the panel mount of-the invention. i

It has been customary in the past, to detach- 1 ably applyfinishingpanels to vehicle bodies and doors, using certain forms" of spring clipssodesigned as to enable repeated attachment and detachment of. thepanels; however, due to the fact i that the panels wereadapted. to bepried from the support, the clips often were found to be mutilated orloosened to such an extent that the panel when replaced was not astightly hung as it 7 hadpbeen when initially applied. Moreover, the

panel and itsbinder strip frequently were bent out of shape,- with theresult that repairs to the vehicle doors frequently results in anunsightly appearance of the paneled structure. The present inventionobviates the difiiculties mentioned,

andin addition the initial and any subsequent applications of the'panelsare greatly facilitated. Other advantagesthave been stated in thepreceding objectsyand still others will become apparent as. thedescription proceeds.

Withreference to the accompanying drawing, the character 2 indicates asupport upon which a panel is to be mounted. Asillustrated, the

support :2 maybe aportion of the inner wall of alvehicle door 3, and isordinarily in the form of acontinuous inwardly turned flange flankingthe edges of the inside ofthe door. *acter 4 indicates the jamb surfaceof the door.

The panel to be used as a finishing element for th interior ofthe doormay comprisea board orstiff sheet 5 of any suitable. material known tobeusedfor paneling purposes, said sheet or board preferably beingadapted to carry a cover 60f fabric. orother suitable material. Thecover 6 as indicated most clearly on Fig. 4, may extend about one ormore edges 1 thereof. It is customary to bound the edge of the boardwith a metallic binder strip 9 ofU-shaped formation,

the leg'swlll and I2 of the binder strip generally beingcovered andconcealed by the covering material 6. l v e The binding strip is to befurnished at intera Fig. 31s a fragmental cross-section of the Fig. 55vals along its length with notches I3 and ad- The charjacent lugs l4,these being formed upon the inner leg In of the binder strip. In theneighborhood of each notch l3, the board is to be notched as at 5, forreasons to be explained later. As will be explained hereinafter, the lugM which is formed adjacent to each notch I3, could be omitted withoutrendering the panel mounting means inoperative.

It may be observed that the space within the notch |5 of the panel boardis adapted for reception of means carried by the support or vehicledoor, operating to hold the panel securely to the door or other support.In this connection,

I the portion l6 of the binder strip adjacent to notch l3, performs thefunction of-a keeper'cooperating with part of a spring steel clip orlatching element which is indicated generally by the character H.

In Figs. 1 and 3, it will be seen that the clip or latching element I!is constituted of a spring steel strip or ribbon, one end of which maybeformed into a hooker anchor l8 adapted toiengage permanently one end.|9of aclip retaining aperture or socket 20 formed in the flange or support2. The opposite end 2| of the socket forms an abutment for the triggerportion 22 that constitutes part of the working head of the clip. Beforethe panel isapplied, which is the condition evidenced by Fig. 1 of the.drawing, the trigger portion 22 of the clipis-forced firmly against theabutment edge 2| ofxsocketZll, due to the inherent resiliency of theclip. resulting from bending it intermediate itsends, asishown; By this,it is meant that the clip' is maintained constantly within the limits.established by the lengthof socket 2D,. by-reason of itss-ownresiliency;

It .is believed apparent fromthe description given up to thispoint, thatany force=applied to the head 23 of the clip, in a direction toward theflange 2, such as a force that would be applied by moving the panel 5against the head at 23, will cause a shifting movement of the head 23toward and into the socket 20, so that when the trigger portion 22 ofthe clip passes the edge 2|- of the socket, .the force of the springclip acting to straighten it, will project the head 23 bodily to theleft of Fig. 1 as illustrated by Fig. 2. That portion of the panel 5which is utilized for applying the necessary force to the head of theclip, is indicated at 23!], and may be referred to as a trip portion orelement of the panel.

With reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the clip head 23, whichisgenerally in the'shape of a .hook, will embrace an area of the support2" and also the leg ll! of the binder'strip, the covering material6being disposed therebetween. The hook-shaped clip head is in reality achannel having a base 24, a panel retaining leg 25, and an opposedsupport-engaging leg 26. The space between the legs 25 and 26 preferably'iszmade equal to the combined thickness 'of'the' support 2, the binderstrip leg I0, and the intermediate covering material, when the latter ispressed tightly against the door flange or. support 2. In order that theleg 25 may better engage beneath or behind the binder strip portion l6,its free end 27 may be turned outwardly as'shown. It is.-to be herenotedthat disposition of the parts I6, 6, and '2 within the mouth of thespring steel clip head 23 constitutes a positive lock for the panel, sothat no amount of prying between the panel and the door could dislodgethe panel or even loosen its mounting. In other words, the. panel willhave a mountingwhich is positive and tight,

. or support 2.

rather than frictional and yielding as is the case when other forms ofspring clips are used for mounting panels.

To dislodge the applied panel of Fig. 2, it is necessary only to inserta thin bladed implement between the covering 6 and the flange 2, and toadvance the implement until it strikes the base 24 of the clip head,whereupon further advancement will move the clip head to the Fig. 1position at which the head will release its hold upon the panel parts,and the trigger portion 22 may be reengaged with the edge 2| of the clipretaming-aperture or socket 2|]. An abutment 28 at the trigger portionof the clip may be utilized to limit the movement of the clip headoutwardly and away from the flange or support 2. This use of a thinbladed implement results in cooking theiclip or. latching element, tocondition it for a subsequent mounting of the panel. To replace thepanel, the parts are to be disposed in the position illustrated. by Fig.1, in which position the turned free end.2| of the clip head is disposedbeneath the binder strip leg ||J, while thehead' 23 is contacted by thepanel 5 in readiness for displacement of the clip head toward the flange2, for release of the trigger 22 and consequent snapping of the clip tothe operative position of Fig. 2.

On panel structures wherein frictional conbinder. strip to the, panelboard asto insureagainst separation of thetwo parts, the.extraoperationsfor. soclinching the: parts togetherv may be dispensedwithby means of the expedient now to be described.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 6, itwill be observed that the lug I4 is struckfrom the leg IU of the binder strip so as to project outwardly thereof.By preference, though not of necessity, the lug is located adjacent tothe notch I3 and may be formed from the metal struck out duringformation of the notch. As most clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, the lug|4 extends toward the flange or support 2, so that it may enter thesocket 2!] or an extension of said socket indicated at 29. The edge 3!]of aperture or extension 29 is so spaced from the jamb face of the dooras to lie in the path of one end 3| of lug l4 when the panel is in theoperative or normal position upon the flange Reference to Fig.2 willreadily disclose that the forward edge 3| of the lug I4 rests very closeto the flange 2, so that any force tending to displace the binder [strip9 to the right, will meet with the resistance offered by the forwardedge 3| of the lug l4 striking the body portion or flange 2 of the door.From this it will be understood that so long as the panel is attached tothe vehicle door, the lug l4 will act as a stop precluding anypossibility of the binder strip separating from the panel board 5. Aspreviously stated, the lug I4 while cooperating with other parts of thestructure to improve the mounting, could nevertheless be omittedespecially when added precautions are taken to produce a firm connectionbetween the binder strip and the panel board. The use of the lug,however, greatly simplifies and reduces the cost of the finishing panelassembly. It may be noted also that lug l4 may serve as a guide forfacilitating registration of the spring clip head with the fiat type ofsupport notch 13 and the cutout portion li, of the binder strip andpanel board, respectively.

In applying thisinventionto a vehicle door or the like, it should beunderstood that spring clips orlatching elements like 11 will. befurnished uponthe flange or support 2 at spaced intervals,

supporting face aforesaid.

2. In: combination, a vehicle. door having an interior panel supportingface includingaseries of resilient latch heads movablein a planeparallel to the panel supporting face of the door,

and thatthe complementary keeper portions carried by the finishing panelwill be correspondingly spaced so that registration of the latching con-1 stituents willoccur when the finishing panel is superposed upon theinterior of the door. It is noteworthy that the definite and positivelock effectedby the means of this invention renders able fixedrelationship of the panel to the sup- I port was not possible. In thisregard, attention is directed to the fact that many vehicle doors arenotflat as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, but are bowed or curved toconform with the body lines of the vehicle, wherefore under suchcircumstances the flanges 2 may be arched upwardly in substantialconformity with an upward arching of the door panel 3. The means of thepresent invention operates just as effectively upon the curved supportsor flanges, as it would uponthe illustrated in the accompanying drawing.t

It is to be understoodthat the varying conditions under which theinvention will be used may require minor changes in construction ofparts. For example, it is possible that the cut-out portion 29 of thesupport or flange 2 might be more desirably made a separate and distinctopening having no connection lwith the clip socket 20.

In'that event, it would be necessary only to change the location of lug14 upon the binder strip. .In the same categoryof possible alterations,the keeper portion Ill-46, which receives the hooked end of the cliphead, might be formed directly from the material of the panel instead ofbeing a separate part attached to the panel. It should be evident thatthe structure would be operative whether the keeper portion Iii-l6 ofthe panel be a separate part, or an integral part, of the panel, sincein any case it performs the function of a latching element.

It being impractical, and unnecessary also, to point out the variouspossible formsthat the invention may take, it is deemed sufficient tomake the reservationthat various modifications and changes in thestructural details of the device maybe made, within the scope of theappended claims, without departing from. the spirit of the invention.What is claimed is: I

1. In combination, a vehicle doorinclud ing an interior panel supportingface having a series of spaced apertures formed therein, a finishingpanel for application to said supporting face of the. door, a series oflatch keepers on the panel spaced in correspondency with the aperturesof saiddoor face, and a one-piece spring metal clip self-supported ineach of said apertures for ena finishingpanel for application to saidpanel supporting face, a series of latch keepers on the panel eachadapted to beembraced' by a latch head. when moved toward akeeper in thedirection stated, for positive locking of the panel against displacementlaterally from the supporting face of the door, and means restrainingthe latch heads against movement toward keeper engaging positionspreparatory to application of a finishing panel.

3. In combination, a vehicle door including an interior panel supportingface,a panel clip car ried by said door, the clip comprisinga tensionedspring metal body and a latch head, a

finishing panel including a keeper complementary to and receptive of thelatch head of the clip for mounting of the panel upon the supportingface of the door, restraining means for hold- .ingthe latch head in aretracted position while the spring metal body of the clip is tensionedfor projection of the latch head toward the keeper of the panel, andtrip means carried by the finishing panel to trip the restraining meansupon advancement of the panel flatwise toward the supporting face of thedoor, releasing the latch head to engage the keeper of thefinishingpanel and hold the latter securely'to the door face.

4; Panel mounting means comprising in combination a support havingopposite faces, said support being provided with athrough aperture,said' aperture having opposite ends providing edge abutments, anelongatedspring metal clip tensioned by bending it intermediate itsends, one end of said clip including means for anchoring it upon one ofthe edge abutments, a head carried by the opposite end of said springmetal clip, said head being ofchannel shape and comprising a pair oflegs spaced aparta distance exceeding the thicknessof the support, withthe legs disposed in substantial parallelism with the support, adisplaceable trigger element onthe clip adjacent to the headthereof forengage.-

ment with the other edge abutment of the support,.and adapted torestrain the head of the clip in a retracted position in opposition tothe tension resulting from the bending of the clip intermediate itsends, a finishing panel comprising a keeperto be engaged by the head ofthe clip whenthe trigger element is displaced, and means on thefinishing panel fordisplacing the trigger element when the keeper is inposition to be engaged by the clip head.

5. Panel mounting means comprising in combination, a support havingopposite faces, said support being provided with a through aperture,said aperture having opposite ends providing edge abutments, anelongated spring metal clip tensioned by bending it intermediate itsends,

one end of said clip including means for anchor- 3 ing it upon one ofthe edge abutments, a head carried by the opposite end of said springmetal clip, said head being of, channel shape and comprising a pair oflegs spaced apart a distance exceeding the thickness of the support,with the legs disposed in substantial-parallelism with the support, adisplaceable trigger element on the clip adjacent to the head thereoffor engagement with the other edge abutment of the support, andsadaptedtorestrain thehead of the placementin a directionflaterally of the.p'anel clip; in a retracted position: opposition to: the

tension resulting from the. bending offlthez clip intermediate its ends,afinishing.panel-comprising akeeper to beengagedrby-thehead'oftheclipwhen the trigger element is.displaced; means gated spring metal cliptensioned by-bending-it intermediate itsends, meansmanchoring" one endof the spring metal. clip to the support, with the other end of the clipdisposed adjacent to one faneof the support, theclip' thereby-extending:

through the apertureof thesupport, a head on said unanchored other endof the clip developed to channel shape and comprising apair; of legsspaced apart a distance exceeding the .thickness of the support, thelegs being disposed" in substantial parallelism with the support, adisplaceable trigger element on the clip engaging the end.

abutment of the support and maintaining both legs of the clip head ataretracted position'toxone side of the support 'in opposition tothetension force ofthe bent intermediate portion of" the clip, said triggerelement when tripped being adapted to leave the end abutment'of thesupport and to guide one only of the channel legs to that side of thesupport at which the intermediate portion of the clipcis disposed.

'7. Panel mounting means comprising:.incombination, a supporthavingopposite-faces, said support being provided with a-through aperture;said aperture having an endabutment, anelongated spring metal cliptensioned by bending it intermediate its ends, means anchoring: one endof the spring metal clip to thesupportpwith the other end of the clipdisposed adjacent to one face of the support, the clip thereby extendingthrough the aperture of the support, a head on said unanchored otherend-of theclip developed to channel shape and comprising apair of legsspaced apart a distance exceeding the thickness of the support, the legsbeing disposed insubstantial parallelism with the support,a-;displaceable trigger element on the clip-engaging the end abutment ofthe support and: maintaining both legs of the clip head at a retractedposition to one side of the support inopposition to. the tension forceof the bent intermediateportion of the clip, said trigger element whentripped being adapted to leave the endyabutrnent of the support and toguide oneonly of ,thechannel legs to that side of the support at whichthe intermediate-portion of the clip is disposed, afinishing panelincluding means for tripping the trigger portion of the clip, and akeeper onsaid panel for reception of one of the clip legs as the head isreleased to the influence of the spring. tension of the clip by thetripping action stated.

8. Panel mounting means comprisingin combination, a support havingopposite faces, said support being provided with a through aperture,said aperture having an end abutment, anxelongated spring metal cliptensioned. by bending. it intermediate its ends, meansanchoring one endof the spring metal clip to the support,'with the other end of the clipdisposed adjacent to one face ofv thesupport, the;clip:therebyextendingof the clip, said trigger element when tripped. being adaptedto leave the end abutmentof the support and toguide one only of thechannel legs to that side of the support at which the intermediateportion of the clip is disposed, a finishing panel including; means fortripping thetrigger' portion of the clip, and a keeper on said panel forreception of one of the cliplegs as the head is released to theinfluence of the spring tension of the clip by the trippingactionstated, and means independent of the clip for precluding shiftingof the panel in at least one-direction parallel to the support.

9. In combination, a support to be paneled, a tensioned spring metalclip detachably mounted upon the support, a hooked end on the clipincluding means for cooking the clip in a retracted position against theforce of the springtension, the hooked end being disposed in substantialparallelism with the support and shiftable in parallelism with thesupport by the spring tension when uncooked, and a finishing panelincluding.

a keeper disposed in position forreception of the hooked end of the clipmoving in substantial parallelismwith the panel, and means on the panelfor tripping the cooked clip 'for release of' the hooked end to thekeeper ofithe finishing panel.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 9, and

wherein the hooked end of the clip when tripped embraces both the keeperand an adjacent portion of the support for positively restraining thepanel against movement laterally away from the support.

11. As a new article of manufacture, a panel mounting-clip comprising alength of spring metal ribbon'bent intermediate its ends tosubstantially a U-shape, an anchoring means on one end of the clip, anda hook-shaped head on the-opposite endof the clip, said head comprisinga pair of spaced parallel legsand a connecting portion, the legs bothbeing disposed transversely to the material of the clip between the bendand the head, with the space between the legs opening as a mouth in adirection away from the anchoring means, and a trigger portion adjacentto one of the legs of the clip head, said trigger portion comprising anofiset between the head and the bend at the intermediate portion of theribbon.

12. In combination, a support to be paneled, a tensioned spring metalclip mounted upon the support, a hooked end on the clip including meansfor maintaining the clip in a retracted'cocked position against theforce of the spring tension, the hooked end being disposed forshiftability in substantial parallelism with the support by the springtension when uncooked, a finishing panel having an outer edge andincluding a keep-er disposed in position for reception of the hooked endof the clip when advanced by the spring tension in substantialparallelism with the panel, the advancement being toward said outer edgeof said panel so that a blade advanced between the panel andthe supportwill restore the hooked end of the clip to the retracted sition, andabutment means on the panel for tripping the vcocked clip for release ofthe hooked end to the keeper upon bodily movement of the panel flatwisetoward the support and to mounting position relative thereto.

13. The combination as set forth in claim 12,

and wherein the hooked end of the clip when tripped embraces both thekeeper and an adjacent portion of the support for positively fixing thepanel against movement later-ally away from the support unless the bladeis first inserted as specified to retract the hooked end of the clip.

RALPH W. HALL.

